Bruises – Garth Fitzgerald IV
Soulmate AU: When mysterious cuts and bruises appear on your body (the kind that you notice at random and have no explanation for), it's because your soulmate just got that injury.
You emerged from behind the small curtained box, revealing your identity as the puppeteer. The children cheered and applauded and you took a bow, smiling as you held a marionette in each hand. Every week you donated a day of your time to perform puppet shows for the local kids. You didn't charge anything, letting children of all ages come to see the show if their parents' schedules allowed it.
"I hope to see you all next week," you smiled, bidding the audience goodbye before you made your way to your car. You packed your puppets and the foldable display window into the trunk of your Jeep Wrangler.
"It's really great of you to do these shows for the kids," one of the parents informed you before you left.
You smiled at her. "Thanks. I like making the kids happy however I can."
"It means a lot to them," she assured you. She waved and wished you a safe drive as you buckled your seatbelt and started the engine. You waved back, making sure to wave to the kids as you drove away.
When you got home, you headed into the kitchen to fix a snack. As you gazed into your small fridge, trying to piece together some food, you glanced at your arm and noticed a long cut that hadn't been there earlier. You frowned, lifting your arm to allow closer inspection. It was red and angry and trying to bleed, like if you'd cut yourself with a knife. You recalled what you learned in school about soulmates, and how your pain was their pain. Some people took that literally, believing it to mean that when you find a mysterious cut or bruise on your body, it meant that your soulmate had just gotten that injury. That theory certainly made sense, looking at the gash on your arm. There was no way you did that to yourself without noticing it sooner.
The wound was still fresh, so you headed to the bathroom to fix it up. You took some medicine, gauze, and an ace bandage from the cupboard above the sink. While gauzing and bandaging your arm, you wondered what in the world your soulmate was up to that cause such a wound.
A few days later, you were in the park doing another charity show for local kids. The children's hospital was doing a fundraiser for cancer research, so while you weren't making any money, you were accepting donations that would go directly back to the hospital.
Garth wandered through the town, looking at all of the booths the hospital had set up for the fundraiser. There was a bake sale, to which he was happy to contribute, a car wash that some local teenagers were managing, your puppet show, and a few other events.
Wait, puppet show?
Stuffing the last of a brownie into his mouth, Garth sauntered over to the grassy field where a small wooden booth was set up with a curtained display box. He could see a couple of marionettes dancing, and he could hear a gentle voice bringing the puppets to life. He sat down beside the kids in the back so he didn't block anyone's view and watched the show play out. He always wanted to meet someone who liked puppets.
When the show was over, you took a break. You were going to do another showing later, after you got something to eat. You packed up your puppets so nobody would mess with them and set them in the backseat of your car. As you began walking towards the bake sale, you heard the soft cries of a young boy. Your heart broke as you wondered what was upsetting him, so you turned to look for the source. You saw a boy around the age of six sitting by himself in the grass. Tears poured down his face as he looked around hopelessly. You wandered over to him and knelt down beside him, your brows furrowing in concern. You noticed another bystander coming to check on the boy. He was a handsome man with a big nose and a dorky grin and he made your heart flutter.
"What's the matter, buddy?" he asked the boy.
"I can't find my mom," the child sobbed.
"Poor thing," you cooed. "What does she look like?"
He described her to you and you began looking around. When you turned back to him, you saw that the adorable man had produced a sock puppet from his jacket and was now trying to entertain the child.
"My name is Mr. Fizzles," he said in a high pitched voice. You bit back a laugh. "Do you want to talk to me while we find your mom?"
The boy was enthralled by the puppet and nodded enthusiastically. Your heart warmed at the sight. You stood and looked around for anyone that matched the boy's description. You spotted a woman that you thought might be her, so you turned back to the boy.
"Is that her?" you asked, gesturing over to one of the booths.
He followed your gaze and nodded. "Mom!"
You and the man with the sock puppet led the boy over to her, and she thanked you for reuniting them. As they walked away, you turned to the other man.
"You're a puppeteer too?" you commented.
He chuckled. "I have to work with kids sometimes and Mr. Fizzles here makes them want to talk."
You giggled. "I bet. What's your name?"
"Garth Fitzgerald IV, ma'am," he greeted politely, offering his hand. You placed yours in his.
"(y/n) (l/n)," you smiled. He bowed slightly and brought your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles. You happened to glance down at his right arm and saw an identical mark to the one on your arm. He caught your gaze and looked at your arm, his eyes widening when he saw the resemblance.
"Either being a puppeteer is a more dangerous business than it looks or…" He trailed off, looking at you.
"Or… we're soulmates…"
He stood straight and looked at you, keeping your hand in his. He gazed into your eyes and you found yourself lost in his cerulean orbs.
"I like the second option," he admitted with a sheepish grin.
"Me too," you admitted, leaning in. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to your lips, to which you immediately reacted. You grasped his hands with yours, lacing your fingers and squeezing gently. You melted into his arms, only pulling away when it was time for your next show.